A FORMER mayor caught up in a race row will find out more about his fate with his party within the next week.

As reported in last week’s Romsey Advertiser, former Test Valley and Romsey mayor cllr Ian Hibberd is under investigation after posting a racial slur online.

The councillor, who has been suspended by the Conservative Party, will have his fate decided at an executive council meeting which involves five branches of the Romsey and Southampton North Conservative Association (RSNCA).

Victim of the ‘abhorrent’ slur, Harmeet Singh Brar, has called for cllr Hibberd to be kicked out of the party.

The 68-year-old is currently listed as an independent within the council while he remains suspended from his party.

Despite declining to speak further, cllr Hibberd apologised for the offence caused, while deputy leader political of the RSNCA and deputy leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Nick Adams-King called the phrase “abhorrent”.

Now, it has been confirmed that top bosses within the association will meet to decide whether or not to expel cllr Hibberd from the party.

It is a requirement to issue 14 days notice, and cllr Hibberd will also be welcome to attend the meeting, and offer his side of the story.

The comment, which was offensive to Mr Brar’s heritage, is not appropriate to print in a family newspaper.

In the meeting, members could decide to welcome him back after hearing what he has to say.

However, they could also decide that more time is needed, or choose to expel him.

A Test Valley Borough Council monitoring officer is also investigating, independent of the association.

A statement from the RSNCA said: “The disciplinary process is in place. Officers called an emergency executive council meeting within 14 days. We can confirm we will also be cooperating fully with the investigation being carried out by Test Valley Borough Council’s monitoring officer. Our disciplinary process is governed by party rules and we will be making no further comment because to do so may risk prejudicing that process.”

The investigation being carried out by the monitoring officer within the borough council is desperate to the association, and is also likely to take a number of weeks.

Mr Brar, who is also an independent councillor in Wellow, said he wanted a zero tolerance approach.